Benefits of LRU-centric fibre channel testing

Abstract

Fibre Channel is a highly reliable, gigabit, serial interconnect technology. Commercial applications of the Fibre Channel technology allow concurrent communications among storage devices using upper level protocols such as Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and Internet Protocol (IP). Fibre Channel technology is scalable and flexible due to its support of various topologies, such as dedicated point-to-point, arbitrated loops, and scaled switched networks [1]. Advanced avionics programs and applications have an increasing need for bandwidth while maintaining low latency, determinism, and reliability. Therefore Fibre Channel is being selected as an avionics communication solution for a variety of new military aircraft and upgrades to existing aircraft [2]. Testing at all stages (factories and depots) is necessary to guarantee the reliable and deterministic communication of avionics. Fibre Channel avionics networks present new challenges to those responsible for maintenance testing at the depots: • The requirement of testing an avionics application communicating via an upper level protocol, while the test environment presents a low level, physical interface. • Emulating the system environment of a line replaceable unit (LRU) to obtain complete functional test coverage.• Storing and monitoring large amounts of data passing through the Fibre Channel network. Existing test instruments and emulators in the market operate at the Fibre Channel protocol level and they lack necessary support for LRUs. Testing at the Fibre Channel protocol level detects bad receivers, transmitters, media, and Fibre Channel processors, but fails to find problems in the inner workings of an LRU.In this paper, we will address the testing challenges listed above with an LRUcentric approach. We will specify an LRU-centric Fibre Channel testing framework and provide implementation guidelines using example applications.

A design of fibre channel node with PCI interface

“…FC has been widely used for Storage Area Network (SAN) applications and is standardized by the T11 Technical Committee of the InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS) [5], which is a group of ANSI. The link data rates of Fibre Channel can be 1.0625Gbps, 2.125Gbps, 4.25Gbps and 8.5Gbps.…”

Reliable Ethernet

“…Channel. "Fibre Channel is a highly reliable, gigabit, serial interconnect technology"[7]. This technology allows concurrent communications among various storage devices using protocols such as Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and Internet Protocol (IP).…”

“…This technology allows concurrent communications among various storage devices using protocols such as Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and Internet Protocol (IP). Fibre Channel operates at data rates from 1 Gbps up to 10 Gbps[7]. Due to its high reliability and speed, this technology is used by the commercial industry for Storage Area Network (SAN) applications.Fibre Channel networks consist of nodes connected by an interconnection scheme called a topology.…”

“…Due to its high reliability and speed, this technology is used by the commercial industry for Storage Area Network (SAN) applications.Fibre Channel networks consist of nodes connected by an interconnection scheme called a topology. Three different topologies are supported: point-to-point, arbitrated loop, and switched fabric[7]. This technology communicates by sending frames through the system.…”

“…"A frame is made up of transmission words, which contain 4 bytes each. A frame contains a start-of-frame delimiter (4 bytes), a header of 6 transmission words, an optional payload up to 528 transmission words, a 4-byte long Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), and an end-of-frame delimiter"[7].…”